Past year has seen a high incidence of fires, sometimes in unusual locations

The past year has seen a high incidence of fires, sometimes in unusual locations such as Greenland, peaking in the last month

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<strong>The incidence of wildfires across the world appears to have been unusually high in the past 12 months. Wildfires - defined as <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire">a sudden, quickly-spreading conflagration</a> - have happened in Greenland, Siberia and Sweden, as well as more common locations such as California and Greece.</strong>

<strong>The incidence of wildfires across the world appears to have been unusually high in the past 12 months. Wildfires - defined as <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire">a sudden, quickly-spreading conflagration</a> - have happened in Greenland, Siberia and Sweden, as well as more common locations such as California and Greece.</strong>

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This timeline lists the main wildfires known about since summer 2017. Add or expand with more facts:

This timeline lists some of the main wildfires known about since summer 2017. Add or expand with more facts:

<strong>June 2017:</strong> Portugal - <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40336622">more than 60 people died</a> and thousands of acres were devastated.

<strong>June 2017:</strong> Portugal - <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40336622">more than 60 people died</a> and thousands of acres were devastated.

<strong>August 2017:</strong> Greenland - <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143159-largest-ever-wildfire-in-greenland-seen-burning-from-space/">the largest wildfire detected by satellites</a> happened in a country of which 80 percent is usually covered by ice.

<strong>June 2018:</strong> United Kingdom - a series of wildfires broke out across the UK, of which the largest two <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/27/uk/saddleworth-moor-fire-greater-manchester-intl/index.html">burned over 7 square miles each</a>.

<strong>July 2018:</strong> Sweden - more than 60 fires burning across the country at once, with <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/sweden-calls-for-help-as-arctic-circle-hit-by-wildfires-1.3568978">at least 11 in the Arctic Circle</a>.

<strong>July 2018:</strong> Greece - as of July 26, in just four days, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/25/greece-wildfires-death-toll-rises-rescue-efforts-intensify">85 people have died</a> and over 180 injured.

The spike in wildfires during this <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/01/ten-top-facts-about-uk-summer-weather-heatwave">especially hot</a> <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/2018-europe-summer-forecast-intense-heat-to-seize-france-to-germany-fierce-storms-to-hit-poland-to-italy-romania/70004928">summer</a> (<em>Accuweather</em>) can be seen in the graphic by <a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/user/hannah-woodward/">Hannah Woodward</a> below:

https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/82151/

All data provided by <a href="http://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/applications/fire-news/">The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). </a>Go to <a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/82151/">Flourish</a> to add more data to the visualization.

A WikiTribune community report <a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/project/forest-fires-rage-through-sweden-prompting-eu-assistance/">on wildfires in Sweden</a>

Read also <a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/story/2018/07/24/greece/greek-wildfires-kill-more-than-60-people/80727/">our report on the wildfire</a> which killed scores of people at beaches near the Greek capital, and this <em>WikiTribune</em> report <a href="https://www.wikitribune.com/project/forest-fires-rage-through-sweden-prompting-eu-assistance/">on wildfires in Sweden.</a>

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